Valve structure



July 30, 1929. T. MEAKIN 7 1,722,815

VALVE STRUCTURE Filed June 12, 1926 //v l/f/vrae EDGAR T MfAKl/V gmkiw Patented July 30, 19.29.

ETEB

EDGAR T. MEAKIN, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

VALVE STRUCTURE.

Application filed June 12,

My invention relates to a vacuum or pres sure cooker, and more specifically to a valve structure in the transfer passages for feeding solid matter into and out of the cooker drum. This is a division of my copending application Serial Number 600,593 filed November 13th, 1922 for Apparatus for processing animal matter.

Before invention of my improved valve device my apparatus for processing animal matter could not be operated continuously, since filling and emptying the cooker drum destroyed the pressure or vacuum within it. This process wasted heat, power, and time, required storing the decomposable animal matter between runs, and caused non-uniform heating of each fresh batch of animal matter fed to the cooker. It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a device for transferring material into or out of a drum without substantial loss of heat or ch nge of pressure in the drum.

It is an objectof my invention to provide a gas-tight passage for transferring solids, which is not liable to be clogged by the solids.

It is an object of my invention toprovide a gas-tight valve for regulating flow of solids, and which is adapted to exert a great force in closing; and an ancillary object is to provide an improved valve structure hav ing its parts so apportioned that a. minimum of stress is caused by this force.

It is an important object of my invention to provide a valve and driving means therefor which are compact, and further, to provide a combination which is simple and rugged in construction. Y

My invention possesses other objects and features of advantage some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said description, as I may adopt variant forms of my invention within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical diametrical section thru my valve structureand thru the driving gear therefor.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the valve structure partly in section as indicated by the line 2-2 in Figure 1.

1926. Serial No. 115,651.

In terms of broad inclusion the device of my invention includes a valve structure for feeding material into or out of a drum in which the pressure is different from atmospheric, without causing a change of pressure within the drum, and comprises a passage which may be closed by either of two spaced gastight valve plates. Each plate is movable, and has an aperture which may be alined with the passage. Means are provided for moving the plates so that the apertures therein aline with the passage at different times, allowing solid matter to pass, without at any time leaving the passage open to break the vacuum or relieve the pressure in the drum with which the passage communicates. Gas-tight packing rings are provided for packing the joints formed. by these iovable plates and for scraping the-m clean of matter which adheres to them. The plates 7 are circular, are journaled for rotation relative to the passage, and are provided with ring gears which provide driving means of great strength for the plates. These ring gears are fixed to the peripheries of the plates, and the entire assembly is encased.

Driving means are provided for the ring gears, and ga -tight 'packings are used around the driving shaft as an added preprecaution against leakage.

In terms of greater detail, the device of my invention comprises a unitary transfer passage 2, 3, 2, 3, and valve housing 4, 4', 6, 6 of cylindrical form; the transfer passage being fo-rmed eccentrically thru the housing. Flange faces 7 7' are formed, on the ends of the housing peripheral to this passage, for connecting it to the chambers between which air-sealed communication is to be established. In this case, I have shown my valve structure arranged between a vacuum or pressure cooker drum inlet 2 and its feed hopper 2.

The housing is constituted as: a coaxial assembly of four circular castings 4, 4, and 6, 6; the two inner ones i, 4 of which are provided with eccentric flanged necks 3, 3', which form the major portion of the transfer passage. Bolts 9 thru the flanged portion of the necks secure the two inner castings together, and bolts 11 secure the castings 4, i

at their periphery between two outer castings 6, 6.

Means dividing the passage 2, 3, 2, 3, into compartments are provided for closing the passage. Peripheral shoulders 12, 12 on the outer faces of the inner castings form disk shaped spaces in the housing. Valve plates 14, 14', closely fitted in these spaces, extend across the passage and are adaptedto close it. These plates and the spaces in which they work are machined to a close sliding fit, and packing rings 16 housed in annular grooves in the castings immediately surrounding the passage, insure a gas-tight joint for the plates and scrape them clean of any adhering material.

A large aperture having the outline 17 or 17, is formed in each plate, and the plates are journaled for rotation permitting aline-- ment of these apertures with the passage 2, 3, 2', 3, to establish communication between the compartments of the passage. The centers of castings 4, '6, and 4, 6', are expanded axially to accommodate the hubs of the rotary valve plates, and an axial bolt 18 or 18 thru each of these pairs of castings, forms a pin on which the hub is journaled.

' Each hub is formed of a pair of complementarily threaded hub-blocks 19 and 21 or 19 and 21, between which the valve plate is clamped. Holes 22 in the blocks, are adapted to receive a spanner wrench for screwing the blocks together and upon the plate.

Means independent of these hubs and ournals are provided for rotating the plates in timed relation such that the openings in the plates will aline with the passage at different times, so that solid matter may be passed, but a barrier always remain to flow of air to the vacuum cooker drum or of steam from a pressure cooker drum. Equal ring gears 23 V and 23 are riveted to the periphery of each plate, and a counter-shaft 24 ournaled in the housing diametrically opposite to the passage 2, 3, 2, 3, is provided with spur gears 26 and 26 in mesh with the ring gears. A bevel gear 27 fixed to this shaft, is driven by a gear 28 on a drive shaft 29, which may be rotated by any convenient power source. This drive shaft 29 is journaled in a bracket 31 bolted to the side of the housing, while thecounter-shaft 24 is journaled in the expanded portions 32 and 32 of the outer castings of the housing. Locked thrust bolts 33 and 33 are threaded axially of the countershaft in these expanded portions of the housing, and permits its axial adjustment.

The above described driving means permits use of very thin valve plates, for no driving stress is transmitted thru the hubs or journals to the centers of these plates. Moreover, great driving torque is exerted t-hru the large ring gears; so that the plates will tend to slice thru any solid matter which blocks their positive closure. The device is rendered compact by the light hub-construcbetween the passage and atmosphere, packing glands are provided for the countershaft by the cup-shaped 'fianges'34, 34' depending from the inner castings and threaded-torecei-ve the packing gland nuts 36, 36. It is possible, especially because of these packing glands 34, 34, to remove the packing rings .16 from the periphery of the passage to the peripheries of the valve plates, and to allow the fatty materials of the animal matter beingprocessed to work back and lubricate the moving parts. In general however, I prefer the illustrated placement of these packing rings and I thereforeprovide grease cups 37, 37 38 and 385, respectively for the two valve plate journals and the .two counter-shaft bearings. A grease cup 39 is also provided, for the drive shaftbearing.

The valve structure is assembled with the apertures 17 and 17 in the two valve plates out of vertical alinement and preferably 180 apart. Since the gear ratios are equal, it is evident that only one gate will open to the passage 2, 3, 2, 3, at a time.

In operation, solid matter above the valve structure will pass the upper plate 14 during a portion of its revolution. and preferably until the compartment of the passage above the lower plate 1.4 is full. Continued rotation of the drive shaft closesthe upper gate and opens the lower gate to allow discharge of this solid matter,-but since the upper gate is then closed, the pressure in the drum with which the passage communicates, remains unchanged.

I claim:

1. In a transfer passage for solids, a pair of spaced gates, means for operating said gates in time with each other so that one gate will remain closed while the other is open, and packing means cooperating with said gates for resisting differences of pressure at opposite ends of the passage.

2. In a transfer passage for solids, a pair of spaced gates, means for operating said gates in time with each other so that oneg'ate will remain closed while the other is open, and packing rings closely surrounding the passsage and cooperating with said gates for resisting differences of pressure on opposite sides of each of said gates.

3. In a transfer passage for solids, mov able apertured plates for dividing said passage into non-communicating compartments, packing means cooperating with said plates for resisting differences of pressure between said compartments, and means for moving said plates in time with each-otherso that the aperture in each plate will lie within said passage atradifferent time.

4. In a transfer passage for solids, movable apertured plates for dividing said pas sage into non-communicating compartments, packing means immediately surrounding said passage cooperating with said plates into non communicating for resisting difierences of pressure between said compartments, and for scraping off material adhering to said plates, and means for moving said plates in time with each other so that the aperture in each plate will lie within said passage at a different time.

5. In a transfer passage for solids, rotary apertured plates for dividing said passage compartments, packing means cooperating with said plates for resisting differences of pressure between said compartments, and means independent of the axes of said rotary plates for rotating the plates, said means being coordinated so that the aperture in each plate will lie within said passage at a different time.

6. In a transfer passage for solids, rotary apertured disks for dividing said passage into non communicating compartments, packing means cooperating with said plates for resisting differences of pressure between said compartments, and ring gears fixed to each disk, and a common driving means for said gears, said gears being timed so that the aperture in each plate will communicate with said passage at a different time.

7 An apparatus for feeding material into a closed receptacle comprising a feed compar'tment, rotatable disks closing opposite sides of said compartment, each disk having an aperture therein adapted to be registered with the compartment, a ring gear disposed on the periphery of each disk, a shaft, pinions on said shaft in mesh with said ring gears, and means for turning said shaft.

8. An apparatus for feeding material into a closed receptacle comprising a feed compartment, rotatable disks closing opposite sides of said compartment, each disk having an aperture therein adapted to be registered with the compartment, a ring gear disposed on the periphery of each disk, a shaft, pinions on said shaft in mesh with said ring gears, and means for turning said shaft, and packing means surrounding said shaft adjacent said pinions.

9. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethru, a pair of spaced disks rotatably journaled in the housing transverse to said passage, each disk having an aperture therein adapted to be registered with said passage during its rotation, gear teeth arranged adjacent the periphery of each disk, a shaft having pinions in mesh with said gear teeth, and means for driving the shaft.

10. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethru, a pair of spaced disks rotatably journaled in the housing transverse to said passage, each disk having an aperture therein adapted to be registered with said passage, during its rotation, packing means surrounding the passage and between the housing and each disk, and unitary means for rotating the disks.

11. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethru, a pair of spaced apertured disks rotatably journaled in the housing transverse to said passage, said apertures being spaced at substantially 180 apart and adapted to be registered with said passage during rotation of the disks, packing means surrounding the passage and between the housing and each disk, and unitary means for rotating the disks. I

12. In a valve structure, a pair of complementary hub blocks, and a rotary valve plate clamped between said blocks and restrained from rotation therebetween by frictional engagement with said blocks.

13. In a valve structure, a pair of complementary hub blocks, and a rotary valve plate clamped between said blocks and restrained from rotation therebetween by frictional engagement with said blocks, a pin 011 which said hub blocks are journaled, and driving means removed from and independent of said pin and hub blocks for rotating said valve late.

14. In a transfer passage for solids, rotary apertured plates for dividing said passage into noncommunicating compartments, and means independent of the axes of said rotary plates for rotating the plates, said means being coordinated so that the aperture in each plate will be within said passage at a different time.

15. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethru, a pair of spaced disks rotatably journaled in the housllng transverse to said passage, each disk being of greater area than the cross sectional area of the passage and having an aperture therein adapted to be registered with said passage during its rotation, plates on each side of each disk in frictional engagement with the surfaces thereof, and means for rotating said disks in time with each other so that one end of the passage is closed when the other is open.

16. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethru, a pair of spaced disksrotatably journaled in the housing transverse to said passage, each disk be ing of greater area than the cross sectional area of the passage and having an aperture therein adapted to be registered with said passage during its rotation, plates on each side of each disk in frictional engagement with the surfaces thereof, and means independent of the axes of said disks for rotating the disks, said means being coordinated so that the aperture in each plate will lie within said passage at a different time.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set.

my hand.

EDGAR T. MEAKIN. 

